MORGANTOWN — Gov. Justice offered some clarification on Tuesday to his plan to reopen the state – West Virginia Strong: The Comeback.
He’s been hit with the question, “When does Week 1 start,” he said. It starts today – meaning Tuesday. Tuesday was the day previously set for hospitals to resume elective procedures.
But Thursday is really when the week ramps up, if the cumulative percentage of positive test results remains below the 3% limit. The figure was under 3% Monday and looked to remain under on Tuesday.
If it is still below 3% for the 5 p.m. Wednesday numbers release, then outpatient health care can resume. Justice’s updated plan lists 18 regulatory boards that will have the option of choosing to resume care – or not. The list includes acupuncturists, chiropractors, dentists, dietitians, optometrists, and psycologists, among others.
Week 2 would then begin on Monday, he said, and each new week would start on successive Mondays.
In Week 2, small businesses with less than 10 employees can consider reopening. Professional services – such as hair and nail care and pet grooming – can resume, with customers waiting outside in their cars and wearing masks during their service, and staff wearing masks and gloves.
Also during Week 2, churches and funeral homes will be open to limited gatherings subject to social distancing, with attendees seated in every other pew or row and wearing masks. Outdoor dining can resume with proper sanitizing, distancing and PPE for the staff.
After Justice released his plan on Monday, the leaders of the two legislative houses and the state Chamber of Commerce released their own reopening plans. Justice fielded a question about whose plan residents should look to follow.
He didn’t directly say, noting he’s working with the Legislature. He said people can call his office with questions. What it appeared to amount to is that his plan is the central guide.
He also fielded a question about the 3% benchmark: What if it spikes to 3.5% one day, does the clock reset? He said, “If we spike to a 3.5 we’ve got a big problem.” Everybody will run to that fire to put it out. But he didn’t say the clock will reset.
The reopening of daycares is supposed to occur during Weeks 1 and 2, in conjunction with health care worker returning to work. Justice was asked how the preschool kids would be expected to practice social distancing.
COVID-19 Czar Clay Marsh took the question, acknowledging there are plenty of situations where keeping 6 feet apart is really hard. He said providers will be wearing masks and gloves and monitoring the kids for fever and other signs. Bureau of Public Health Commissioner Cathy Slemp added that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has issued child care guidance that the bureau will be sending out to the daycares.
And Justice acknowledged his plan isn’t perfect and will need regular tweaking. “How are we going to make it perfect with a bunch of 3- to 5-year-olds? We’re not going to make it perfect.”
Justice related a Tuesday morning announcement from WVU that it’s School of Public Health has partnered with the Department of Health and Human Resources to recruit participants for a new online COVID-19 contract tracing course to create a pool of investigators for the coming weeks and months.
The course will be open to members of the National Guard, anyone assisting the DHHR or local health departments, and senior undergraduate and graduate level students in public health, health professional programs and related fields. All participants who complete the course will be required to assist with state and county contact tracing efforts.
“More great work by West Virginians, more great work by West Virginia University,” Justice said.
Slemp said the state will probably need about 270 to 300 investigators. The tracing will unfold in phases, with more people needed in later phases. Marsh added that as they target breakout hot spots, they’ll target surveillance teams to those to make the best use of the resources.
Justice also announced that the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has secured access to a high capacity decontamination system that can cleanse 80,000 N-95 masks per day. DHSEM worked with FEMA and the state of Virginia to acquire it. It’s one of just 25 in the country. It cost $1 million, which will be covered by federal dollars.
DHHR Secretary Bill Crouch said they’ve now completed coronavirus testing at 108 of 123 nursing homes and th elast 15 are scheduled.
Crouch also pointed out that the total number of tests results reported on DHHR’s COVID-19 site, coronavirus.wv.gov, has been reduced. It was 43,039 Monday evening and 40,489 Tuesday morning. That’s because all 37 testing labs are now filing results electronically and DHHR eliminated duplicate results that also arrived by fax.
Tuesday afternoon’s numbers were 1,095 positives out of 41,526 results, for a 2.64% rate, with 38 deaths.
Justice fielded a question about his response to the Federal Bureau of Prisons transferring out-of-state inmates to the facilities in Hazelton and Gilmer in response to a federal court order to increase social distancing in D.C.-area prisons. But that moved has raised concerns about bringing the virus to facilities that so far have no positive cases.
Justice said he’s spoken to the president’s people and sent a letter to the bureau; and all five members of Congress are fighting it. “We’re all pushing on this in every way to try to stop this, Thus far we’ve been unsuccessful.”
Federal official have promised they’re taking precautions, Justice said, but “That’s just not good enough.”
Once again, Coach Justice closed with some cheerleading. “West Virginians, come on now. Keep doing great work. Make me proud on the back end.”
Tweet David Beard @dbeardtdp Email dbeard@dominionpost.com
